Throttle-valve mechanism for locomotives.



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THROTTLE VALVE MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES. APPLICATION man JUNE 26. 1914.

1,140,091 I PatentedMay 18, 1915.

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W. E. WOODARD.

THROTTLE VALVE MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE26. 1914.

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djmwasz w E. WOODARD. THROTTLE VALVE MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES. APFLlCATION FILED- JUNE 26.19l4. 1,140,091, Patented May 18, 1915.

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v Q 7 INVENTOR. 5 w 0/ M5 K J WILLIAM E. WOODARD, 0F SCHENEGTADY, NEW YORK.

THROTTLE-VALVE MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 18 1915 Application filed June 28, 1914. Serial No. 847,638.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. WOODARD, of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Throttle-Valve Mechanism for Locomotives, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for operating the throttle valve of a locomotive engine, which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction and ready applicability in connection with locomotive boilers of any of the present standard types, and which shall embody the advantages of facilitating compliance with the requirements of the Federal and State boiler inspection laws by reducing the obstruction of space within the steam dome, as compared with prior constructions; of rendering the throttle valve and its accessories more simple, compact, accessible, and conveniently attachable in desired position; and of providing for differential leverage of the throttle lever, whereby the action of the engineman thereon may, as is desirable, be exerted upon maximum leverage at the commencement of the opening movement of the throttle valve, and thereafter upon decreased leverage and at increased speed.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation, and partly in section, of the rear portion of a locomotive boiler, illustrating an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section through the dome of the boiler, showing the adjoining elements of my invention in elevation; Fig. 3, a plan View of the throttle lever and its accessories; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section, on theline a a of Fig. 3.

The designs of throttle valves and connections ordinarily heretofore applied in locomotive practice are subject to the objection of occupying a comparatively large portion of the interior of the steam dome of the boiler, to such an extent that when it is desired to enter the boiler, for purposes of inspection or repair, it becomes necessary to remove the throttle pipe, which involves considerable delay and labor expense, and, as an alternative, a separate manhole and cover must be provided on the boiler in order to obtain access to its interior without kept within workable limits.

removing the throttle pipe from the steam dome. Another condition which obtains, particularly in large locomotives, is the crowded state of the cab, due to the large number of fittings and accessories, which must be so located therein as to enable the engineer and fireman to readily operate them. The ordinary design of throttle lever and throttle rod stuffing box occupies a considerable space on the back head, which could be used with advantage for other fittings if not so occupied. These objections are overcome in the application of the mechilIllSII]. of my invention. Further, it has ong that the maximum power for openingor unseating the throttle valve is required at the instant of breaking the joint between the valve and its seat, and that, after the valve has been slightly opened, it becomes balanced, or nearly so, and the power required to move it farther is much less than when it is closed, with pressure in the boiler and no pressure in the throttle pipe. Devices of several different constructions have been used, to obtain an increased leverage for unseating the throttle valve and a decreased leverage thereafter, with the result that the travel of the throttle lever in the cab is Such devices have heretofore been located inside the steam dome, or attached directly to the throttle valve and pipe, and by reason of the difiiculty of access to them in such location, and the difficulty of fitting up work of this character in the contracted space Within a boiler, they have not been found to be entirely satisfactory. Under my invention, the difierentialleverage mechanism is located on the outside of the rear portion of the boiler, forming a portion of the operating lever mechanism, and is thereby rendered fully acessible at all times.

Referring to the drawings, my invention is herein exemplified as applied for the operation of a throttle valve, 1, which is of the usual hollow double puppet type, and is adapted to seat at the top of a vertical throttle pipe, 2, which is supported in the dome, 3, of a locomotive boiler, 3, and communicates, atits bottom, with the dry pipe or main supply pipe, 4, the throttle valve controlling, as usual, communication between the steam space within the boiler and dome and the interior of the throttle pipe and dry pipe.

been recognized in locomotive practice I In the practice of my invention, the throttle valve, 1, is fixed upon a throttle stem, 1*, which extends downwardly through a passage, 2, cored centrally in the throttle pipe, 2, and is coupled, at its lower end, by a pin, 1", to a lever, 5. The end of the lever, 5, nearer the axial line of the dome, is pivotally connected to a lug, 2 on the lower end of. the throttle pipe, 2, and its opposite end is coupled, by a pin, 5*, to the lower end of a vertical link, 6. A' horizontal oscillatory throttle shaft, '7, is journaled in a support, 8, secured to the outside of the dome, 3 and extends inside thereof, leakage of steam being prevented by a stufling box, 8*, on the support. The throttle shaft, 7, carries, on its inner end, an arm, 7*, to which the upper end of the link, 6, is coupled by a pin, 6, and carries, on its outer end, an arm, 7, which is coupled by a rod, 9, to a throttle lever mechanism located in the cab of the locomotive, which mechanism is of the following construction.

A support or stand, 10, is secured to the boiler, in such location within the cab of the locomotive as may be convenient to the engineer, and a cross head, 11, secured to the rear of the rod, 9, which extends from the throttle shaft, is fitted to traverse longitudinally in line with said rod, in bearings on the support, 10, from wh ch a bracket, 10*, extends rearwardly. A throttle lever, 12, is pivotally connected, by a pin, 12*, to the bracket, and is adapted to be swung over a toothed segment, 13, secured by bolts, 13, to "the bracket. A latch handle, 14, pivoted to the throttle lever, carries a spring latch, 14:, which engages the teeth of the segment, 13, to hold the throttle lever in any adjusted position.

The throttle lever is coupled to the cross head, 11, by a pair of links, 15, which are connected to a short lateral arm on the lever, said arm being, in the instance shown, formed-on the lever by bending it adjacent to its pivot pin, 12*. The longitudinal relation of the links to the lever, is, by reason of their lateral connection thereto, such that when the lever stands in normal position, 2'. e., that which it occupies when the throttle valve is closed, the pivotal connection of the links with the lever is only comparatively slightly out of line with those of the links with the cross head, and of the throttle lever with its supporting bracket, 10, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, in which position the leverage through which the throttle lever acts to move the cross head and its connections is at its maximum. As the throttle lever is moved outwardly over the segment, 13, to efi'ect the unseating and greater or less degree of opening of the throttle valve, the an le which the links make with the lever, gra ually increases, until, when the lever is moved pipe, an oscillatory answer to its extreme outer position, as shown in described may be placed in any desired position on the rear portion-of the boiler, and while shown in the drawing as in a downwardly sloping position it may set horizontally or,vertically accordingly as the size and shape of the firebox and other conditions of installation may render desirable. The advantages of material relief of obstruction of the steam dome, and of ready accessibility to the operative members, will be obvious to those familiar with locomotive practice.

I claim asmy invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a throttle valve mechanism, the combination of a throttle pipe adapted to be supported in the steam dome of a boiler, a throttle valve manually operable to control said pipe, an oscillatory throttle shaft extending through the dome and journaled in a support adapted to be secured to the outside thereof, connections coupling the throttle valve to the inner end of the throttle shaft, an exterior operating lever adapted to impart opening and closing movements to the throttle valve, and connections positively coupling said lever to the outer end of the throttle shaft.

2. In a throttle valve mechanism, the combination of a throttle pipe adapted to be supported in the steam dome of a boiler, a throttle valve controlling said pipe, a rod fixed to said valve and extending downwardly through a passage in the throttle throttle shaft j ournaled in a support adapted to be secured to the outside of the steam dome, a lever pivoted on the throttle pipe and coupled to the throttle rod, a link coupled to said lever and to an inner arm on the throttle shaft, an exterior operating lever, and connections coupling said lever to an outer arm on the throttle shaft.

3. In a throttle valve mechanism, the combination of a throttle pipe adapted to be supported in the steam dome of a boiler, a throttle valve controlling said pipe, an operating throttle lever pivoted to a support adapted to be located exterior to the dome,

comnections through 'which said lever is coupled to the throttle valve and through which; decreasing leverage may be imparted in the outward movement of the lever from the normal position which it occupies when the throttle valve is closed.

4. In a throttle valve mechanism, the combination of a throttle pipe adapted to be supported in the steam dome of a boiler, a erating lever, and links coupling thecro'ss throttle valve controlling said pipe,.a suphead to a lateral arm on said lever.

port adapted to be located exterior to the t dome, a cross head fitted to be guided by WILLIAM t D I 5 and to traverse longitudinallyin saidgsup Witnes ses:

port, connections .coupling said cross head WILLIAM D. GRANT, to the throttle valve, 21 pivoted throttle op- HERVEY GiPms. 

